War Zone Decorated 'A small boy, stood shyly in the office: of Mr. Clarence EH. Gauss, American Constl-General, on Janu: ary 17. He was neatly dressed, spick and span, He was Valentine Holdosi, the Hungarian ragamulfin who scorned shot and hell to rescue a strange assortment of pets from his home in Yangtszepoo during the carly stages of the war, and looked rather dazed as a medal was planed dus diminutive breast, Kindly and heartening words were addressed to him by Mr. Gauss, and everyone present at the. ceremony congratulated. him and shook him by. the hand. "The medal was the William Stillman medal, presented to the brave Ind by the American Humane Society. The black eye was received the day before from a Jealous comrade, who got as good as he gave.
When the little group who were privileged to attend the ceremony lad gathered in the Consul-General's office, Mr. Gauss said that, on behalf of the American Humane Society, lie had been asked to present the médat' for consplclous gallantry in the rescue of his pets from the wartern area. "I want you to know", continued Mr. Gauss, "that what you have done has jgeatly impressed many of your fellow animal lovers In Ameria, who send you their best wishes to de company this medal."
Medal Pinned On Amid lapping from the handful of people present, the medal was pinned on to the upper left hand pocket the smart blue coat which the lad was wearing. "Congratulations, "Valentine" said Mr, Gauss, and and the remainder of the "audience' shook the little Hungarian warmly by the hand.
Those who attended the presenta tion were Mrs. H. L. Ricks, secretary of the SSPC.A, Mr M. Swann, chairman, and Mr. H. Middleton, also an official of the society.
Hotdost, it will be recalled, made 8 hazardous tour of the war zone to his home in 'Thorburn Road, Yangtazopoo threading his' way. through Nantao, across the Whangpoo to Poo~ tung, and thence to the dangerous Pootung Point, where the boarded a Taunch down river, and landed safely at the Shanghai Power Co's, what ocaping from an Indian watchman: who was detailed to keep him safely a boiler room, he completed his elp by walking two miles through Yangtszepoo until finally he reached fis home—and his pets. These he found tarred and feathered, the work. of a flend who had condemned ther, 30 he thought to a slow, agonizing death, Tearfully he embraced the odd quartette, half feathered fowl, halt mongrel dog, and meeting with kindly Settlement police sergeant his troubles were at an end, and he reached home in safety.
Two More Medals for Boy Hero Shyly standing in the offs of HM. Consul-General in Shanghai, Me, Herbert Phillips, on January 18, Valentine Holdosi, the young Mungarian, "whose brave rescue of his pots from his home in Yangtszepoo during the hostilities is well-known, wag the recipient "of two more medals. These were the Wheatley Cross of the RSPCA, and the silver medal. of the Canine Defence League, 'They make three decora~ tions to the bestowed on the lad within two days, as Mr. C. H. Gauss, 'American Constil-General, presented him with the William 0. 'Stillman medal on the previous day, Among those present was Sir Allan' Mossop, President of the SSPCA.
Making the presentation, Mr. Phillips said that the full account of the lad's brave deed had been related in the ''North-China Daily News" of August 30, and was probably well known to most people present at the ceremony, To summarize, it appeared that after being marooned for 13 days with his foster-parents and his pets in a house off Thorburn Road, in Yangtszepoo, the youth made his way under Intense "fire into the Central District, where efforts were made by the officials of the Shanghai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to rescue the animals by means of their motor ambulance, It was, however, found impossible 0 obtain: a safe conduct from the Japanese.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.